


Vegetarianism: The Beginning or the End?

by KakashisKunoichi



Category: Charlotte's Web - E. B. White
Genre: Dysfunctional Family, Gen, Vegetarian, Vegetarians & Vegans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-22
Updated: 2014-11-22
Packaged: 2018-02-26 14:31:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2655449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KakashisKunoichi/pseuds/KakashisKunoichi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fern finds herself in a corner: whether to eat, and secure her future and family, or to not eat, and give the animals their justice.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Argument

A big, pink mass. Pumping blood around this invisible thorax. It can't be. It must be in my mind. This animal is dead, it died a few months ago, for us to eat. NO! I won't have it! I am not consuming a pig just to satisfy one festivity with my family and to please my parents. After all, this could have been Wilbur…

Dad sits there, watching me with this stare that means "What are you doing? We've slaughtered more pigs than could fit in a book. Just eat it!" but I just can't. I've seen so many little piglets grow up, frolicking around the yard, eating mud- without even knowing that they're destined for our mouths! How can people detach themselves from this reality?

"Fern, what's wrong? Why aren't you eating your pork?" Asks mum, looking at me with a mixture of sympathy and confusion.

Dad sits there, with his questioning stare penetrating me even further. I have half a mind just to eat it, and to end this agony. But my conscience tells me otherwise; why would you let it slip, why would you eat it for fear of argument? Stick to what you believe in!

Just to make it worse, dad shovels the whole pulsating thing, lump by lump into his vast mouth. "You heard your mother, Fern- just eat the damn thing. No use being this emotional if you want to make money!"

But I don't, I thought. I don't want to make money out of an animal's death.

"Fern, eat it now or forget even working for me! Go and campaign for bloomin' vegetarianism- I don't care! Just sabotage your father's work! Go on!"

That's it. I can't cope with any more. I don't want to sabotage my dad's work, I just want to make justice for the animals who die needlessly when we have plenty of other things to eat!

I crash through the seemingly vast expanse of chairs, tables and silverware, and bolt for the door, when my dad puts his hand out and says:

"Is that it, Fern? Are you saying goodbye to your future- and all the good money you could earn? Are you?"

As my eyes start to mist up, all I can see is my mum sitting there, looking from dad to me, wondering what on Earth to do or say.


	2. The Epiphany

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I am aware that it’s been a year and a half since I’ve updated this, but better late than never ;-P So enjoy!

Not being able to see clearly through the haze of tears blocking her vision, Fern stumbled up the wooden staircase and into her bedroom with its welcoming smell of horse wafting up from the stable and in through her bedroom window. Throwing herself onto her bed, she thought through her options. Is it really wise to go against my father’s wishes? Is it worth the anger and the crap between us? Should I go against the people I love to fight for what I believe in?

Yes, she thought. In a shock epiphany, the answer that came to her out of the mist was a definite yes. Fern had always hated innocently ambling across the farm, checking on the horses to find her father with a pig’s – or any other farm animal’s, for that matter – head on an anvil with the last light shining in their eyes. It was always heart-breaking, but she’d never had the courage to do anything about it until now. But this is where the injustice ended.

Looking up at the various picture frames which held pictures of all her friends, the memories spurred her on. I’m going to do this in all your memories’. I hope you’re watching me. 

Wiping the tears from her eyes, and finding a new resolve, Fern confidently walked down the stairs and back into the kitchen. 

“Dad, you know what? I am going to sabotage your work. Not directly, of course, because I wouldn’t want to stoop that low, but I’ve decided the time has come for me to move out and live on my own. With my own ideals, and no one to control me or tell me what to do. I’m fed up of watching these unjust – these unfair – practices happen before my eyes. I’m taking my horses with me, of course, because you’ve never had the slightest bit of interest in them, because they’ve never brought in any cash, but I’m going to do my best to stop this happening. I hope you’re happy. See you.”

Her father sat listening to her whole tirade open-mouthed, and Fern fought the urge to walk over to him and shut his mouth for him. 

She walked out of the kitchen to the sounds of her mother weeping and crying things like:

“Look what you made her do! If you didn’t keep your mouth shut we might not have made her leave!”

To which her father responded:

“If she doesn’t like reality, then let her leave and be on her own. Besides, she was right about the horses, I only ever let her have them to shut her up, I’ll be glad to be rid of the damn things!”

After this she thought it was time to leave. She knew of a small cottage a little way up the road with enough space for her 3 horses which would do her nicely. 

However, she didn’t plan on leaving without one last rebellious gesture. Picking up her father’s long-bladed butchering knife, she threw it down on top of the anvil with such force that the blade broke in half. Fern then laid it down on top of the anvil as a sort of note to her father saying “this isn’t the end of this”. 

Going to the horses’ stable and picking up her old backpack with all the things she needed and had carried everywhere since she was a small girl, Fern walked up the lane leading out of her parents’ farm and onto a new, just life.


End file.
